A fourth policeman’s body was discovered on Friday using a drone near the site of a fierce gunfight in the remote forests of Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir, officials confirmed. This raises the death toll among security personnel to four, while three terrorists have also been confirmed killed.

The gunfight erupted on Thursday morning in the Safiyan area, where police, assisted by the Army and CRPF, launched an operation against suspected infiltrators. The operation resumed at daybreak on Friday, with security forces focusing on recovering the bodies of the fallen personnel and searching for any remaining threats.

Heavy gunfire and explosions continued for the second day as joint security teams carefully advanced towards the suspected hideout of two more terrorists. The terrorists are believed to be from the proscribed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit and were initially presumed dead, but their bodies had not yet been located.

On Thursday, three suspected Pakistani terrorists were killed after a day-long standoff with security forces. Three policemen also lost their lives, while seven others, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), sustained injuries.

The encounter began around 8 a.m. on Thursday near Jakhole village in the Ghati Juthana area of Rajbagh. Security forces had been on high alert following reports of terrorist infiltration from across the International Border in Hiranagar.

It remains unclear whether the attackers were the same group that had previously managed to evade a security cordon in the Sanyal forest or another team of infiltrators.

Five police personnel, including a Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), were trapped near the site of the gunfight, concealed by dense foliage near a rivulet. The SDPO, a DSP-rank officer, was rescued in an injured state late Thursday evening. Tragically, three of his personal security officers were found dead, and another policeman’s body was discovered on Friday morning. Three injured policemen were admitted to Kathua hospital, where they are reported to be in stable condition. Two Army personnel were also injured during the operation.

The conflict follows an interception on Sunday evening, when a group of terrorists was spotted in a nursery in Sanyal village near the International Border. Despite an extensive search operation involving the police, Army, NSG, BSF, and CRPF — supported by advanced surveillance technology — the terrorists managed to escape.

Evidence recovered from the initial encounter site included loaded M4 carbine magazines, grenades, a bulletproof jacket, sleeping bags, tracksuits, food supplies, and materials for constructing improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Security forces suspect the terrorists infiltrated from Pakistan on Saturday, possibly using a ravine or a newly constructed tunnel. Following intelligence inputs, a police team led by the SDPO engaged the terrorists, triggering the deadly gunfight.

Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat and Inspector General of Police (Jammu Zone) Bhim Sen Tuti have been overseeing the operation from Kathua for the past four days.

The People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), a proxy outfit of the Pakistan-based JeM, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Indian Army’s Rising Star Corps paid tribute to the slain police personnel. “Rising Star Corps salutes the valor and indomitable spirit of the brave (J&K) Police personnel who made the supreme sacrifice fighting valiantly during the ongoing Operation Safiyan in Kathua. Their courage and dedication will always be remembered,” the Army stated in a post on X.

The operation remains ongoing as security forces continue to search for any remaining threats in the region.